Rivers of blood in Dhaka

Pashu Priya Goshalawww.pashupriyagoshala.org

Pouring rain coupled with animal sacrifices all over the city have created a strange and disturbing scene.

As forecast by the meteorological office, Eid morning on Tuesday began with shower that continued intermittently into the evening. Despite the pouring, Dhaka’s citizens went to say their Eid prayers in the morning and sacrificed their animals.

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As rainwater built up on the roads of Dhaka and flooded many areas of the capital it got mixed with the blood to create an unusual and gory scene; it appeared as though there were red rivers running across the city.

Citizens have strongly criticised the two city corporations in charge of cleaning the sacrificial waste for this situation.

Many said the incident showed how the city corporations had failed to keep the city’s drainage systems functional and had paid no attention to the matter before Eid.

The two city corporations designated 1,000 spots – 496 in the north and 504 in the south – for slaughtering animals.

However from around 7.30am in the morning, many people were seen slaughtering animals in the streets and their convenient places in several areas including Mohammadpur, Mirpur, Shyamoli, Uttara, Dhanmondi, Niketon.

The roads soon filled up with blood and waste.

City dwellers say lack of campaigning was the main reason behind the situation. Also, the places were far away from their homes, some said.

“Last year the city corporations launched a mass campaign to encourage people to use the designated spots and that caught our eyes. I went to a spot in Mohammadpur last year, but this year, I don’t even know where the spots actually are,” said Tareq Ahmed, a resident of Shyamoli.

In Malibagh, Baily Road, Shantinagar, Bijoynagar, Paltan, Motijheel, Jatrabari, Bakshi Bazar and Kathalbagan area, Dhaka Tribune reporters found people are sacrificing their animals in front of their homes or other places nearby.

Dhaka South City Corporation’s Deputy Chief waste management official Khandker Millatul Islam said that water logging in the capital was an old problem.

“We are still working to solve this issue,” he admitted.

“We have already ordered Maniknagar Wasa pump to start working, so we are hoping that very soon the water-logging problem will be solved,” he added.